In Germany, corona vaccinations for pregnant women have not yet been recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO).
Experts call for the recommendation to be adapted according to new findings.
Jena - In some countries around the world - including France and Israel - pregnant women are given priority vaccinations against the coronavirus.
In Germany, however, the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) has not yet recommended corona vaccination during pregnancy.
Studies show an increased risk of severe Covid-19 courses in pregnant women.
Corona: Study shows an increased risk of severe Covid-19 courses in pregnant women
Under the direction of doctors from the School of Medicine at the University of Washington and the University of Oxford, data collected from more than 2,100 pregnant women from 43 maternity hospitals in 18 countries were examined between April and August last year.
The researchers found that pregnant women do not have a higher risk of developing Covid-19 *.
"But when they get it, they are more likely to get seriously ill and be more likely to need intensive care, ventilation, or experience premature birth and preeclampsia," said Dr. Michael Gravett of the University of Washington, one of the study's lead authors, in a statement from the institution. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal
JAMA Pediatrics
.
On the basis of the study results, Gravett said in a communication from the University of Washington: "I would warmly recommend that all pregnant women receive corona vaccinations." Ekkehard Schleussner takes the same view.
He is professor for obstetrics at the University of Jena and director of the women's clinic there.
"It is now very clear that the health risk for pregnant women is significantly increased by Covid-19 *," he told
ARD
magazine "Kontraste".
Corona vaccination for pregnant women: Currently no STIKO recommendation - exception for previous illnesses
In Germany, the corona vaccination * is currently not recommended for pregnant women.
On the website of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) * it says: “There are currently no data on the use of COVID-19 vaccines (mRNA vaccines or vector-based vaccines) during pregnancy, so the STIKO recommends the general vaccination during pregnancy currently not. "
There are exceptions, however.
"Pregnant women with previous illnesses and the resulting high risk of severe COVID-19 disease can be offered a vaccination in individual cases after the risk-benefit assessment and after detailed information," the RKI continues.
Corona vaccination for pregnant women: Expert with a clear opinion - "Should be vaccinated as a priority"
Schleußner reported in the
ARD
magazine "Kontraste" that he received numerous inquiries from "desperate pregnant women" who would like to be vaccinated against the coronavirus * every week.
The professor of obstetrics expressed his clear opinion: "Pregnant women should, if they want it, be vaccinated as a priority".
Claire-Anne Siegrist, vaccinologist at the University of Geneva and head of the WHO Collaboration Center for Vaccination Issues, agrees: "Every pregnant woman should have the opportunity to be vaccinated".
However, a general recommendation cannot yet be made.
"To do this, we needed data on the safety of the vaccines from a large number of pregnant women, and we don't have them yet," Siegrist told
observer.ch
.
Corona vaccination for pregnant women: Little data so far - New results give cause for hope
To date, there have been no completed, controlled approval studies on the safety of corona vaccines * in pregnant women.
Preliminary results from a study published Wednesday (April 21) in
The New England Journal of Medicine
give cause for hope.
It is the largest study to date on the safety of corona vaccines in pregnant women and is based on data from more than 35,000 pregnant women.
The results suggest that mRNA vaccines such as those from Biontech / Pfizer * and Moderna * do not pose any serious risks to pregnant women.
Corona vaccination for pregnant women: Experts advocate STIKO recommendation
"Based on these data, I would expect the Standing Vaccination Commission to revise its recommendation regarding vaccination for pregnant women and recommend vaccination for this group of people as well," explained Professor Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, the
editorial network Germany (RND)
.
The German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics was
pleased
with the
RND
about the increasing scientific research results on corona vaccination in pregnant women. "Taking into account the current state of knowledge, we would also like the STIKO to recommend vaccinations for pregnant women in Germany, for example in Israel, UK and Luxembourg," she said.
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